By your side
by GLE
Summary: Metamorphosis Epilogue! What I would like to happen during and after this episode! SJ


  
Metamorphosis Episode Tag 

I saw her there, sitting next to me all curled up. She winced as the pain, which she tried to hide, racked her body again.

"Carter?"

"Its nothing – I'm fine."

She looks up at me and I can see the pain in her eyes, but amongst the pain I can see determination and love. It makes me proud; she is so strong both physically and mentally. Even so, it breaks my heart to see her in so much pain, especially when I feel so useless.

"Get some rest." I say softly "That's an order."

She looks at Teal'C, who nods his approval, before she settles down leaning against my shoulder for support. I can feel the heat radiating from her body as I watch the life in her slip away in a muffled cloud of pain.

I cast my mind back to when she was returned from Nirrti. She was unconscious and looked distinctly ruffled, as she was roughly dumped in the cage, which we were both placed in. As the guard closed the cage and walked away, I rushed over to her, feeling for a pulse, preying she would be ok. I sighed as I felt the friendly flutter below my fingers. She was alive – for now. Gathering her up in my arms I sat her up on the bed, leaning against the cage. It wasn't extremely comfortable, but it would have to do.

I sat back, watching her. "Carter?"

I watch as her eyes flicker open and then closed again as the light causes her head to pound.

"Sir?"

" You made it through – you're going to be alright."

I watch as she shakes her head

"No sir I don't think I am."

He watched the pain and anxiety in her eyes. He didn't know what to say – he couldn't say anything. Sam moved, slightly and they sat for a while in each other's company, in silence, with their own thoughts.

Jack felt useless. Bloody useless, he thought to himself as he looked down at Sam to see her face crumple in pain again. He felt it, each time her muscles clenched in pain, and it scared the hell out of him. She looked pale now, though flushed as if with fever.

He heard a sound coming from behind him – Evanov. He didn't want to turn round in fear of waking Carter- he could tell she was in pain whilst she slept – he didn't want her to have to experience the pain awake unless she could not help it. Sam woke suddenly and turned round, shocked by the sight, as Evanov started coughing up water, before his body suddenly disintegrated and the sound of runny water swashed onto the floor.

Jack swallowed and then looked at Sam, who turned to look at him. He could see the fear in her eyes.

"That…. Its going….going to happen…to me." She said shakily, hyperventilating.

"It is not going to happen to you – ok Carter" She wasn't listening and he could tell

"Carter!"

She froze and turned to stare at him, before breaking down in a coughing fit, wheezing to get enough air into her lungs, which were already starting to feel a strange kind of dampness.

Jack turned, sitting up and started rubbing her back.

"Carter – shhhh, come on breath ok!"

A few minutes later she had calmed down and her breathing was back to normal, but it was obvious that she was getting worse. Her head felt wet and she could hardly keep awake.

Sam was getting scared now – her vision was blurred, her only lifeline was the Colonels hand, which she refused to let go of. She was dizzy and felt faint. She felt her body being gently shifted as the Colonel laid her down on the bed. " Get some rest Sam," he said and she could see all his love for her in his eyes and it broke her heart as her eyes closed, not listening to herself, pleading them to stay open, as she sunk into unconsciousness once again.

As she lay there, next to him he cast his mind back to all the other situations where they had been imprisoned. Yet as he looked around – he could see no hope. Then he was called to Nirrti. He didn't want to leave her, knowing it might be the last time that he saw her alive. He couldn't help but regret so many things as he was pushed through the doors and he took one long look at her, before being pushed round the corner.

5 minutes later he was rushing back to her. Nirrti was dead, but they could still save Sam – if she wasn't already dead. As he approached the cage, he was scared, but as he ran in to her, he could feel her struggling to breath. He picked her up gently, though as quick as possible.

"Sir?" the word sounded more like a spurt of breath than a word but it meant she was alive and it gave him hope.

"Hold on Sam, stay with me." He pleaded as they reached the room where the deadly machine was. He rushed up to place her under the machine, but she had no strength left. He held her there until the machine started up and she was able to stand up by herself. He stepped back, his fingers crossed behind his back. The machine switched off, she was still standing, though her head hung heavily.

"It is done. You are as you were before."

She lifted her head "Thank you."

Jack let out the breath he hadn't known that he was holding, and stepped up to help her down from the platform. She smiled at him, a silent conversation with their eyes; she thanked him, as he showed her how relieved he was. Teal'C just smiled – he had long ago realised how much his friends could converse without words. Jonas hung back, however, still not completely understanding their relationship.

Teal'C and Jonas were then sent to get their belongings, before meeting Sam and Jack on the surface.

" You sure your ok?" he was still worried

Sam nodded, wincing as she tried to put her pack on.

"Carter…."

" I fine, I'm just tired."

He helped her and then went to talk to Egar

"You going to be ok now?"

"Yes – thanks to you."

"Is Carter really ok?"

"She will be achy for a few days and very tired, but she will make a full recovery."

"Thanks."

Jack turned to the rest of the group

"Ok people, let's go home!"

It was not far to the Stargate, about 3 miles. It seemed to take them forever though. The journey back was quiet, each involved in their own thoughts, and they were going slightly slower than normal. Teal'C was in front with Jonas, leaving Jack to walk with Sam. He kept close to her to keep an eye on her, wondering if the machine had truly cured her off whatever harm Nirrti had done.

She looked too pale for his liking, but it was better than looking so wet and overly feverish as she had earlier. That had scared him, her looking so vulnerable. She staggered over the uneven surface, just managing to keep herself upright, before she started coughing again. Jack, grabbing her arm to prevent her from falling, rubbed her back as she coughed. Jonas and Teal'C had stopped when they heard the commotion from behind them and made their way slightly back to where Jack and Sam were. Jack looked at Sam as she tried to catch her breath after her coughing fit and decided to stop for a bit. With Nirrti dead they were in no immediate danger anyway.

"Let's take 20 kids" he said as he guided Sam to the floor. She seemed exhausted now and despite Egar's warning he was still concerned. Teal'C left the group once they had seated themselves together on the ground and went to check their perimeter. Jack looked round a couple of times and satisfied that they were safe he focused his attention on Sam. She was sitting forward with her head in her hands, too quiet.

"Carter? You ok?"

She looked up and started to say something, but interrupted herself by coughing again. Jack handed her the water canteen and she carefully sipped from it.

"Thanks"

"You ok?"

"Tired" she said slowly, he could see it was taking all of her concentration to keep her eyes open. He realised that she must be really tired if she mentioned it, and pulled her towards him gently so she could lean on him. He felt her relax almost straight away and was happy to hear her breathing even out as she became calmer.

"You ok otherwise?"

"Ummmmm…"

"Talk to me?"

"Just achy"

"Ok, how bout we rest here for a bit before going home to bed!" he chuckled

"Fine by me sir!"

When they got back he made sure that Carter was quickly whisked off by Janet, whilst he briefed Hammond. After his post mission physical and a shower he went to try and find Janet to find out about Sam.

"Hey Doc!"

"Colonel – you ok?"

"Yup, what about Carter?"

"I think she'll be ok, though I'm keeping her in tonight for observation. She was exhausted and had a bad headache as well as feeling achy, all I expect from the transformation she went through, first by Nirrti and then to correct what damage Nirrti did to her."

"Okay dokay, night Doc!"

"Goodnight Colonel"

He went round to the infirmary to see the curtains round the end bed in the corner, suspecting that Sam was here as it was the darkest place in the infirmary so the lights wouldn't aggravate her headache; he peaked through the curtains before stepping through.

She was lying down in the bed, still looking pale, but not as much as before. At a first glance he thought that she was asleep but after a couple of minutes he realised she must be just dozing, he knew what she sounded like when she was asleep as he often shared a tent with her offworld. He gently picked up her hand and was pleased when he felt her squeeze it in return.

"Hey, how you doing?"

She smiled, opening her eyes briefly before closing them again.

"Headache bad?"

"Yea…"

"I've organised a meeting with the president for next week."

That made her open her eyes, and groaning slightly as the light hurt her head she slung her free hand over her face so she could just see Jack.

"What?" She tried to sit up quickly, and the world spun around her. She was not impressed. Tightening her grip on Jack's hand, she leaned back and with his help was soon lying down again.

"Hey relax or I'll get chucked outta here! I decided that the President must owe us a favour after all we have done for Earth. I was wondering if, if everything goes well with the president if you'd want to come fishing!"

"Wow! Yea you know I think I would!"

They sat there grinning at each other for a couple of minutes, before Sam started drifting off to sleep.

"Sleep Sam, I'll be here when you wake up."

She drifted off, but not before quietly murmuring

"I like the sound of that!"

Bringing a smile to Jack's face as he looked forward to his forthcoming fishing trip and the rest of his life!

THE END

Please tell me what you think…..any hints, ideas that kinda stuff!

Also I kinda need a beta so if anyone wouldn't mind, please contact me!




End file.
